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ITS Solar heatpump with Home Assistant and Sonoff temp sensor


Durran

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Hi All,

I currently have a ITS Solar heat pump ITS-4.7HDP which makes use of a heat sensor and control panel to control the on-off of the heat pump, whoever the panel is basically just a timer and is for all intent purposes, dumb. Has anyone either used the current heat sensor with a sonoff devices such as a TH16 to control the unit, or used the recommend heat sensor from sonoff such as Si7021, AM2301, DS18B20, DHT11 to control the heatpump with Home Assistant?

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Hi Durran

I also have an ITS heat pump. However, I do not fully understand what you mean by the panel being dumb?

Mine displays 2 temperatures: (1) at the bottom of my geyser and (2) at the outlet of the heat pump. If (1) drops below 50 degrees, then the heat pump goes on. When (1) has reached 53 degrees, the heat pump switches off again (see more details in the ITS manual available on their website).

I have switched off the timer function in the panel (different views exist about that...)

I have recently put a Sonoff POW in front of my heat pump as I was simply curios how much power it consuming. Am not using it for switching the heat pump on/off though.

Other than switching the heat pump on/off based on the geyser temp (which my panel offers), what other functionality would you be looking for?

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On 2020/02/17 at 4:50 PM, Pietpower said:

 Where will you put the temperature sensor of the sonoff? In the geyser thermostat sleeve?

The Heatpump already has the temp sensor in the thermostat sleeve, hence wodnering if I can reuse that current sensor

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On 2020/02/17 at 5:00 PM, wolfandy said:

Hi Durran

I also have an ITS heat pump. However, I do not fully understand what you mean by the panel being dumb?

Mine displays 2 temperatures: (1) at the bottom of my geyser and (2) at the outlet of the heat pump. If (1) drops below 50 degrees, then the heat pump goes on. When (1) has reached 53 degrees, the heat pump switches off again (see more details in the ITS manual available on their website).

I have switched off the timer function in the panel (different views exist about that...)

I have recently put a Sonoff POW in front of my heat pump as I was simply curios how much power it consuming. Am not using it for switching the heat pump on/off though.

Other than switching the heat pump on/off based on the geyser temp (which my panel offers), what other functionality would you be looking for?

Thanks Wolfandy, I mean dumb as it is isnt connected to wifi and therefore cannot manage it centrally but is a standalone system :) But yes, it does control the unit

If you add a sonoff with heat sensor you will be able to monitor the geyser temp and switch on off via Home Assistant controls and NodeRED flows with different scenarios and variables. My issue is its a stand alone system which I would like to try integrate into my Home Automatons environment and thought someone may have done this already.

The Sonoff POW will only switch the power on/off as you stated, which doesnt help "manage" the geyser temp

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Hi Durran, 

Please ensure the LIR1620 coin battery in the control panel is in good working order otherwise whenever you cut power to the heatpump unit, it loses the settings/time and you have to sett them manually. 

I have not played with the temperature sensor part but, I have hooked up my own SONOFF + RELAY circuit. I did this for the following reasons: 

1) in order to be able to link it to my Wifi & Alexa.

2) Get more control times for ON/OFF setting instead of the default (1 ON and 1 OFF schedule)

3)so that I can remotely over internet switch off my geyser if I am scheduled for load-shedding. (My heatpump is connected on my essential load side and running on Solar+Backup),  

4) If I'm scheduled for midnight loadshedding 00h00 - 04h30 which normally becomes 00h00 to 05h30,  from my cellphone, based on my SOC I want to be able to switch-on geyser without getting off my bed.

5) Currently from 35 degrees to my summer setting of 47 degrees takes about 45 min without breaching 80% SOC.

And lastly (SONOFF + WOOD MATERIAL FROM CEILING + GEYSER = Possibility of FIRE) I would recommend your SONOFF is only used to control a relay and not directly wired to the geyser.

LM.

REgards

 

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23 hours ago, LMthethwa said:

Hi Durran, 

Please ensure the LIR1620 coin battery in the control panel is in good working order otherwise whenever you cut power to the heatpump unit, it loses the settings/time and you have to sett them manually. 

I have not played with the temperature sensor part but, I have hooked up my own SONOFF + RELAY circuit. I did this for the following reasons: 

1) in order to be able to link it to my Wifi & Alexa.

2) Get more control times for ON/OFF setting instead of the default (1 ON and 1 OFF schedule)

3)so that I can remotely over internet switch off my geyser if I am scheduled for load-shedding. (My heatpump is connected on my essential load side and running on Solar+Backup),  

4) If I'm scheduled for midnight loadshedding 00h00 - 04h30 which normally becomes 00h00 to 05h30,  from my cellphone, based on my SOC I want to be able to switch-on geyser without getting off my bed.

5) Currently from 35 degrees to my summer setting of 47 degrees takes about 45 min without breaching 80% SOC.

And lastly (SONOFF + WOOD MATERIAL FROM CEILING + GEYSER = Possibility of FIRE) I would recommend your SONOFF is only used to control a relay and not directly wired to the geyser.

LM.

REgards

 

Awesome, thanks,

3) do you problematically check loadshedding or manually switch it off when you scheduled?

4) At what SOC% do you switch off, my heatpump is also on my solar and battery circuit

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3) do you problematically check loadshedding or manually switch it off when you scheduled?

A: I always want to start a loadshedding period at 100% SOC,  in the afternoon the heatpump is at my set Temp (47degrees), because its on Backup, when we bath at night it will automatically startup to warm the water as we use, if I'm loadshedded this will not be ideal as I dont want to drain the battery too much since power never returns on scheduled times. However if I am scheduled overnight, I want to switch on the geyser at 04h00 for water to be hot enough for morning bath. I've had occasion where power did not return from 20h00 until 06h30 the next morning.

4) At what SOC% do you switch off, my heatpump is also on my solar and battery circuit

A: Because I have solar, I pretty much have it on during the day from 10h30 until 18h00, I set timer to swich off at 18h00 for evening baths, I switch in on again at 22h45 (on Eskom - once of) (and off again at 04h00 in case of cold nights) and it will be hot enough for the morning bath. SONOFF takes care of the schedules.

- In a nutshell I seldom run my heatpump on batteries, its only if Eiskom/Citypower does not honor their schedule.

- I only run once of on Eskom (+/- 45min)  to heat up water at night at 22h45, most heating happens from 10h45 - 18h00 24/7.

- My consumption has dropped from daily 35-38 Kwh (with 1.1 kw @ 8HRS  pool pump with solar water heating + heatpump+gas stove+dishwasher, washing machine), to a average of 8 Kwh  (my wife loves!!!!!!!!!!!! her dishwasher and washing machine 🤣)

- Next challenge, get wifey to schedule washing to specific day/s and not every morning......yes every morning. Schedule dishwasher when there is a full load, not after every meal .....yes 3 times a day and sometimes 4......................or maybe I should rather choose the peace.

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